5. Tooth and Tooth-Supporting Structures

Abstract

Tooth and tooth-supporting structures are involved in the function of mastication and articulation and are classified as enamel, dentin-pulp complex, and tooth-supporting structures. The dentin-pulp complex is sorted dentin and pulp, and the tooth-supporting structures are categorized as cementum, periodontal ligament, alveolar bone, and gingiva. Tooth consists of three different types of hard tissues, such as enamel, dentin, and cementum, and soft tissue of pulp and periodontal ligament. In clinical situation, a tooth is fundamentally made of the crown that is any part of the tooth visible in the mouth and the root that is any part of a tooth not visible in the mouth. Enamel covers the crown of a tooth and is the most highly mineralized substance in the human body, which includes the highest percentage of minerals. Cementum covers the root and is connected with alveolar bone, which surrounds and supports the tooth root by intervening with periodontal ligament. Dentin-pulp complex is surrounded by enamel and cementum. Dentin is the most voluminous mineralized tissue of the tooth and is formed by odontoblast that is part of the outer surface of the pulp. Pulp also includes vascular, lymphatic, and nervous elements.